a brief Liberia History lesson

Our largest outreach sharing the love of Jesus in 2025 was in the country of Liberia. People ask me about Liberia out of concern because they know I go there. It is usually because they are thinking of Nigeria. That is a very dangerous country currently so their concern is understandable.

The Christian emphasis in Liberia started with the first voyages from America in the very early 1820’s. Christian ministers traveled with the earliest settlers sent by the American Colonization Society (ACS) in 1820. The early settlers included Methodist, Baptist and Presbyterians planning to establish Biblical traditions. Daily prayer, schooling, and preaching became central to settlement life. In 1822 the new town of Monrovia was founded and the first simple chapels were built shortly afterward. Denominations included Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian and Congregational groups.

​Baptist missionary Lott Carey, a formerly enslaved Virginian, led some of the earliest churches . He was a major figure in evangelism, farming, medical assistance and established strong relations with local leaders. He died in 2028, but his work laid important foundations for Baptist missions.

The first churches in Cape Palmas, Bassa and Sinoe focused on literacy, Bible translation, Medical care and Agriculture. Schools were established and became centers of both evangelism and providing practical training.

In 1833 the first Methodist churches organized schools for boys and girls. In the 1840’s as Liberia expanded inland, missionaries began reaching Bassa, Vai, Kru and Grebo. Liberia’s independence in 1847 helped solidify the legal protection of mission work. 

In the 1850’s missions built the first formal medical clinics providing care during malaria, smallpox and yellow fever outbreaks. New mission schools were founded, many of which later became prominent Liberian institutions. The 1860’s and 70’s saw the growth of Lutheran, Episcopal (Anglican) churches and Catholics began limited activities. These groups focused on agricultural training, teacher preparation and the translation of Christian texts into Bass, Grebo and Kru. On to the 1880's to 1900 included a deepening of evangelism and training of indigenous leaders and Liberia pastors and teachers. 
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During these years missions expanded into interior settlements, including market towns and river regions. Churches became key centers for literacy, community leadership, social organization, and agricultural and trade education. 

Christian Missions were influential because:

​Early Liberia’s Christian missions shaped the nation in several ways:

• Education: Many of the first schools were mission-founded.
• Health: Mission clinics provided the earliest organized medical care.
• Language: Missionaries produced grammars, dictionaries, and Scripture translations in regional languages.
• Governance: Many early Liberian leaders were mission-educated.
• Faith Life: Missions strengthened Liberia” identity as a Christian leaning nation.

Modern day missions see the installation and successful operations of Christian format community radio stations. Reaching People far from God is involved in the two station VOX Radio network with the station VOX Radio in Monrovia and Kioo Radio in Foya, the far North near Sierra Leone and Guinea.  Each of the stations reach a potential audience of three-million listeners. In the planning stages the next three stations will complete the network. 


We help continue the rich Christian tradition in Liberia.